Startle response potentiation to chemosensory anxiety signals in socially anxious individuals

Pause, Bettina M.; Adolph, Dirk; Prehn-Kristensen, Alexander; Ferstl, Roman

doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.07.008

Cited by 70 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…It was further concluded that in contrast to other modalities, the physiological adjustments in response to chemosensory anxiety signals seem to be mainly related to an automatic contagion of the feeling. This interpretation is in line with the startle experiments, showing an automatic activation of withdrawal-related motor systems (Pause et al 2009; Prehn et al 2006), as well as with animal data, suggesting a chemosensory transmission of stress from sender to perceiver. Finally, the speculation of Sartre (1947) on the consequences of body odor perception might be a fruitful basic approach to the investigation of chemical communication in humans because the phenomenon of emotional contagion through human chemosignals could in fact literally be described as an incorporation of the sender's soul and body.…”

Section: Neuronal Processing Of Body Odor Signalssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…For example, it has been shown that individuals scoring high in social anxiety process human chemosignals differently (Zhou et al 2011) and less effectively (Pause et al 2009, 2010) than non-anxious controls. Therefore, the knowledge of human chemosensory communication might even improve the knowledge about the development and therapy of mental disorders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The startle reflex can be measured in animals (Davis et al 1993) and humans (Lang et al 1990) and is increased during states of negative affect and decreased during states of positive affect. As rats (Inagaki et al 2008, 2009) and humans (Pause et al 2009, Prehn et al 2006) show an augmented startle response in the context of chemical stress signals, it is concluded that motor systems related to signal avoidance are automatically primed through the perception of stress-related chemosignals of conspecifics.…”

Section: Body Odor Signalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Processing of Body Odor Signals by the Human Brain

Pause

2011

Chem. Percept.

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Brain development in mammals has been proposed to be promoted by successful adaptations to the social complexity as well as to the social and non-social chemical environment. Therefore, the communication via chemosensory signals might have been and might still be a phylogenetically ancient communication channel transmitting evolutionary significant information. In humans, the neuronal underpinnings of the processing of social chemosignals have been investigated in relation to kin recognition, mate choice, the reproductive state and emotional contagion. These studies reveal that human chemosignals are probably not processed within olfactory brain areas but through neuronal relays responsible for the processing of social information. It is concluded that the processing of human social chemosignals resembles the processing of social signals originating from other modalities, except that human social chemosignals are usually communicated without the allocation of attentional resources, that is below the threshold of consciousness. Deviances in the processing of human social chemosignals might be related to the development and maintenance of mental disorders.

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Section: Neuronal Processing Of Body Odor Signalssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Body Odor Signalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Processing of Body Odor Signals by the Human Brain

Pause

2011

Chem. Percept.

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“…In addition, we might expect that variation in relative dominance, although it is not included in the Big Five model as a separate dimension, might be of particular relevance. Recently, there has been a growing body of evidence that people are responsive (eg in the form of a startle response), to affective body odours (eg Pause et al 2009). This might be particularly true for individuals low in dominance, as they are more sensitive to potentially socially threatening situations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Olfactory Perception is Positively Linked to Anxiety in Young Adults

et al. 2012

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Abstract. Olfactory abilities show a high degree of inter-individual variability and this could be partly related to personality differences. Here, in two studies, we tested a potential link between personality dimensions and olfactory perception. Sixty-eight (study 1) and a hundred and fifty-six (study 2) young adults completed the Big Five questionnaire and performed the Sniffin' Sticks test for assessing odour threshold, identification, and (in study 2) discrimination. In neither study did we find a significant link between personality dimensions and olfactory identification scores. However, in study 1, we found a significant positive correlation between the neuroticism dimension and olfactory sensitivity. This was mainly due to the anxiety and self-consciousness subscales, which load onto the neuroticism dimension. In a follow-up study, we again found a significant association between anxiety and odour perception, specifically in odour discrimination. Our results indicate that variability in anxiety could partly explain the high inter-individual variation in olfactory perception.

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“…Furthermore, information about anxiety and stress is unconsciously transmitted via axillary sweat. Neuronal activation patterns suggest that areas linked to the processing of emotion and the regulation of empathy and attention were involved in these effects (Mujica-Parodi et al, 2009; Pause et al, 2009; Prehn-Kristensen et al, 2009). Beyond axillary sweat as a chemosignal, smelling of female tears that originate from sadness were shown to reduce activity in brain substrates of sexual arousal in males (Gelstein et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to Hedione Increases Reciprocity in Humans

Berger

Hatt

Ockenfels

2017

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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Cooperation among unrelated humans is frequently regarded as a defining feature in the evolutionary success of our species. Whereas, much research has addressed the strategic and cognitive mechanisms that underlie cooperation, investigations into chemosensory processes have received very limited research attention. To bridge that gap, we build on recent research that has identified the chemically synthesized odorant Hedione (HED) as a ligand for the putative human pheromone receptor (VN1R1) expressed in the olfactory mucosa, and hypothesize that exposure to HED may increase reciprocity. Applying behavioral economics paradigms, the present research shows that exposure to the ligand causes differentiated behavioral effects in reciprocal punishments (Study 1) as well as rewards (Study 2), two types of behaviors that are frequently regarded as essential for the development and maintenance of cooperation.

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Startle response potentiation to chemosensory anxiety signals in socially anxious individuals

Cited by 70 publications

References 43 publications

Processing of Body Odor Signals by the Human Brain

Processing of Body Odor Signals by the Human Brain

Olfactory Perception is Positively Linked to Anxiety in Young Adults

Exposure to Hedione Increases Reciprocity in Humans

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